Contenido principal
2025
The Nuclear Safety Council assumes the rotating presidency of the International Nuclear Regulators Association (INRA)
This organisation promotes international nuclear safety
INRA is composed by nine of the most experienced nuclear regulatory authorities in the licensing of nuclear activities worldwide
A delegation from the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council, led by its President, Juan Carlos Lentijo, is participating this week in the 55th meeting of the International Nuclear Regulators’ Association (INRA), celebrated in Paris (France). During the meeting, the formal transfer of the presidency of the Association took place, from the French Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ASNR) to the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) and its President, Juan Carlos Lentijo, according with the established rotating system.
The head of the Spanish regulator presented the CSN’s latest activities, including the recent reorganisation of its Board of Commissioners. Among the highlighted tasks was the CSN’s work in renewing the operating licence for the Trillo nuclear power plant for a ten-year period (until 2034). Lentijo emphasised the exhaustive process carried out by the CSN, which involved the production of over forty technical reports, the conduct of a Periodic Safety Review, and the evaluation of the plant’s transition to long-term operation, scheduled for 2028.
During the meeting, the CSN President also outlined the licensing process for the individual interim storage facilities for spent nuclear fuel located at the Spanish nuclear sites. These will provide full storage capacity for the spent fuel generated by each installation and will include a newly designed container model for all facilities.
Lentijo further presented other key achievements by the CSN in recent months, including the outcomes of the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) follow-up mission to Spain, the licensing for the construction and operation of the south-east platform at El Cabril, the low and intermediate level waste disposal facility, and the authorisation of ten new proton therapy units to be integrated into the Spanish National Health System.
A dedicated session on nuclear fusion was also held during the meeting, where the CSN reported on its regulatory activities related to the siting of the IFMIF-DONES facility in Granada. Complementing this session, participants undertook a technical visit to the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) in Cadarache, France.
Since the onset of the conflict, INRA has maintained close communication with the SNRIU, offering technical assistance through recommendations and support actions to ensure the continued performance of its regulatory functions. In this regard, Michael Knochenhauer, Director General of the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, presented the work of the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) concerning nuclear safety challenges during armed conflicts, a group in which the CSN actively participates.
About INRA
The International Nuclear Regulators’ Association (INRA), founded by the regulatory bodies of the nine countries in the world with more experience in the licensing of nuclear activities (Germany, Canada, Spain, France, Japan, United Kingdom, Republic of Korea, Sweden, and the United States of America) was created in Paris in May 1997.
INRA holds two official meetings per year where regulatory issues of common interest are openly discussed. In this international association, transparency, multilateral cooperation and the exchange of experiences among the countries that compose it are promoted.